Flash Flood Warning issued for area

The National Weather Service in Memphis has issued a Flash Flood Warning until 8 p.m. for the following counties in Northeast Mississippi: Benton, Marshall, Tippah and Union counties and the northern portion of Lafayette County.

At 5 p.m., Doppler radar estimated 1 to 3 inches of rainfall had occurred over the past two hours. Showers and thunderstorms will produce an additional 1 to 3 inches of rain over the next three hours.

“Do not drive your vehicle into areas where the water cover the roadway,” said a NWS statement. “The water depth may be too great to allow your car to cross safely. Move to higher ground.

“Most flood deaths occur in automobiles. Never drive your vehicle into areas where the water covers the roadway,” the statement added. “Flood waters are usually deeper than they appear. Just one foot of flowing water is powerful enough to sweep vehicles off the road. When encountering flooded roads make the smart choice: Turn around – don’t drown.”